Fort Mose

What:  October plein air Paint-Out
When: Saturday, October 7, 9 AM to 1 PM
Where: Fort Mose Historical State Park, St. Augustine, FL

Those of us who are Old Timers in this group may recall that our VERY FIRST plein air ever, after the FCPS was founded, was to Fort Mose back in February 2012. It's a wonder place, and it was a wonderful day, so it seems fitting to return there in our 5th anniversary year.

(photo courtesy of Deb Fox)

Fort Mose (pronounced Moh-ZAY) is the site of the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States, and in 1994 was designated a National History Landmark. It sits on the salt marshes to the north of St. Augustine proper.

It has a couple sets of boardwalks that lead out over the marshes, and out to am amazing rookery for herons and egrets on a large hammock.

It's also part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and for several years great horned owls have nested in the park, so you don't know what wildlife you might see. 

Thanks to Deb Fox for setting this up, and Deb has also included sets of directions depending on the location you are coming from, so for directions keep reading. Note that Deb says:

We should meet in the parking lot at 9:00 a.m.  There are picnic benches for us for lunch and there are restrooms in the lobby of the visitor center.  Admission to the park is free, but there is a $2.00 fee if you want to go into the visitor center to see the exhibits. 

From St. Augustine: From downtown St. Augustine, drive north on A1A. At the carousel (you read it correctly), continue straight north on San Marco. (A1A turns right towards Vilano Beach. Don't go that way.) San Marco merges with Hwy 1. Shortly after the merge, look for a bronze statue on the right and a sign for Fort Mose. Turn right on Fort Mose Trail. Fort Mose Trail dead ends into Fort Mose picnic area and parking lot.

OR: From Hwy 1 in St. Augustine, drive north past Hwy 16. Look for a bronze statue on the right and a sign for Fort Mose. Turn right on Fort Mose Trail. Fort Mose Trail dead ends into Fort Mose picnic area and parking lot. (note: those of us coming from the west just turn left onto US 1 from Hwy 16)

From Jacksonville: Drive south on Hwy 1. Turn left on Fort Mose Trail. (If you pass Hwy 16 you've missed Fort Mose Trail.) Fort Mose Trail dead ends into Fort Mose picnic area and parking lot.

As usual, feel free to bring a picnic lunch so we can all gather together for a meal after a fun morning of painting. Show and tell of artwork also for those so inclined.

October often brings lovely weather. Everyone keep your fingers crossed, and NO MORE HURRICANES!

Painting up a Storm

Well Hurricane Irma came roaring through Florida leavings lots of flooding and devastation in her wake. Jacksonville saw the worst flooding since 1842, houses in Ponte Vedra Beach were swept down by the sea, over half the state was without power. Some of us stayed put and sheltered in place, others evacuated to local but more inland areas, even others evacuated out of state to friends, family and hotels. Most of us lost power and suffered downed limbs or trees but I'm not aware of any bad flooding such as the flooding that hit some of our members last year with Hurricane Matthew . We are all coming back together now. After my five days without power and nine days without internet it makes me appreciate even more then things I have.

But some of us did find time to do some painting during and after the storm and are happy to share with our fellow members, so here is some of our artwork from our "virtual" meeting. Next up for October we have a wonderful plein air day planned, so everyone keep fingers crossed for great weather! Stay tuned here for details.

 A Welcome Quiet - Linda Hart Green

California Bound - Kay Deuben 

Gracie and Truman - Kay Deuben 

Janelle Wagoner 

Hurricane Essentials - Debbie Cusick 

Lyn Asselta 

Pat Mahoney (oils) 

Paula Willits 

Paula Willits 

Cindy Pierson - painting with granddaughters and their friend

Cancellation

For anyone following us who may not be on our mailing list - our meeting for this coming Saturday has been cancelled. Right now we are not sure where we stand with Hurricane Irma bearing down in this direction, and many events are being cancelled and many places closing.

Among the places is the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach, where we hold our meetings. They will be closed Sept. 9-12 and as a result we are out of a place to meet. Many members were very unsure about attendance anyway and felt hurricane prep was more important.

Some of our members suffered quite a bit of damage from Hurricane Matthew last year, so we take this seriously!

We were planning to set up and paint still lifes this Saturday. Well you know what? We still can! Here's a suggestion everyone. While we are all hunkered down and waiting out the storm how about setting up our own still lifes at home and doing a painting? If anyone wants to participate just email me a jpg of your work to this address - firstcoastpastelsociety@gmail.com - and I will put up a blog post of our "virtual meeting".

A new season commences

What:     FCPS Fall Kickoff meeting
When:    September 9, 2017, 10 AM to 12 Noon
Where:   Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach

Did everyone have a great summer? Hard to believe it's September and I certainly hope some cooler weather is around the corner. Here it is Labor Day weekend, normally our meeting time - but as in previous years we avoid the actual weekend for our meeting.

As our calendar says, we are meeting next week instead, on the 9th.

To kick off the year we will all have a chance to work together in painting still lifes. We will have 2-3 still lifes set up in our meeting room, so everyone don't forget to bring pastels, paper, easels if needed. It should be fun.

We also have some very exciting things coming up this coming year. It's going to be another great year so come on and show up and hear about all of our happenings